Goetia
Main_Page > Vampire: The Requiem > Bloodlines > The Sangiovanni > Samain's Version > Goetia Goetia is the black magic initially practised by the mortal Sangiovanni, really without remarkable results: only with the power of the Blood the vampiric Sangiovanni quickly obtained much more palpable effects. Nevertheless, the Discipline is still at an embryonic state, and has developed only the five basic powers; the Sangiovanni are too few, and relatively too young indeed. Probably, in the near future, thanks to their increasing power, they will succeed in transforming it in a complex system of rituals such as the Lancea Sanctum’s and Circle of the Crone’s. Goetic magic was given from God to King Solomon, to help him building his Temple, and spread mostly in the late Middle Ages, through books such as the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (“The Lesser Key of Solomon”). It’s based on the evocation and control of many spirits-daemons, each one with his own unique prerogatives. Following the tradition, 72 spirits can be evocated, but up to now only five of them form the Discipline’s backbone. Convoking and imposing one’s own will to these beings isn’t exactly a simple task: as well as the drawing of magic circles and symbols, a Vitae sacrifice is always requested to make the daemon come. The strict study around this delicate and unstable form of evocation has never stopped: groups of Sangiovanni meet regularly to cast great rituals and to make a summary of the knowledge accumulated on the subject. Goetic powers are characterized by the aim of knowing things and by the performance of some enchantments traditionally associated to black magic, like maledictions and the animation of inorganic objects. • Convocation of Forneus Forneus, the thirtieth spirit, is the master of Tongues. With his powers, the Sangiovanni can comunicate with every being. The rite is very quick to perform; at the end of this, the daemon will bless the wizard’s tongue. Often this power is used with Auspex, so that the Merchants can see and speak to even other supernatural creatures, such as ghosts. Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: This power requires no roll to be activated. The vampire must draw with his own blood a symbol on his lips, then he will be able to talk to every being he chooses, for a scene. Obviously the Sangiovanni can’t understand who can’t talk, unless he comunicates through gestures. Action: Instant. •• Convocation of Zagan Zagan, the sixty-first spirit, can turn fools into wise men, and vice versa. Ordering him to cast a Volt, a malediction, the vampire makes the spirit send his servants to torture one’s mind, rendering him distracted and lunatic, without letting him know about the imps that are tormenting him. Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult + Goetia against Resolve + Blood Potency of the subject. Action: Contested; resistance is instinctive. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: Zagan turns the Volt against the evoker, or the subject strength does so. Failure: The spirit refuses to collaborate and the enchanter can’t help this, or the subject succeeds in resisting to the malediction. Success: Zagan obeys and the subject can’t resist him. Exceptional Success: Zagan’s imps are really efficient. In addition to the normal effect of the malediction, the subject will feel confused and disoriented. Using successfully Convocation of Zagan requires the enchanter to draw a magic circle with his blood, and to put inside this something related to the subject (everything will work, from hair to photos). Done this, the Sangiovanni can reduce one of the subject’s Mental Attributes of one dot. This could mean that other traits will be reduced also: for example, a Resolve reduction will be followed by a Willpower reduction as well. The reduction lasts until the dawn, and a subject already hit by the malediction can’t be penalized by another Convocation of Zagan until the effect the first lasts; even a subject who has resisted with success to a Volt won’t be affected for that night. ••• Convocation of Astaroth Astaroth, the twenty-ninth spirit, is the master of erudition and awareness. Thanks to his help, the Sangiovanni can watch everything around him without moving. Using this gift to follow the most influent Venetian personalities with no risk, the Merchants have accumulated a treasure of inestimable information. Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult + Goetia Action: Instant. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: Astaroth tricks the enchanter showing him the moment of his death. Although the image won’t correspond to reality, the wizard will suffer a penalty of -2 all his rolls for that night, because of the shock. Failure: The spirit refuses to collaborate and the enchanter can’t help this. Success: Astaroth shows the vampire what he wants. Exceptional Success: Numerous successes rolled are their own reward. Using successfully Convocation of Astaroth requires the enchanter to draw a magic circle with his blood, and to put inside this a mirror. If the rite ends in a success, Astaroth will take the mirror and will turn it to the enchanter. In the glass the Sangiovanni will see himself and the rite’s place at first, then he will be able to command the daemon to move the visual, like a camera. The mirror won’t move, but the Merchant will decide what to “frame”, when to move the “objective”, when to “zoom” and so on. Through the mirror he will be able to see within a circular area of 1 kilometre of range for each success rolled, starting from the place of the ritual. The mirror gives only visual sensations: the wizard cannot, for example, hear what the people in the street are saying. The Merchant will be able to watch in the glass for a scene. •••• Convocation of Belial Belial, the sixty-eighth spirit, gives loyal familiars and servants. In spite of the homonymy, the Sangiovanni don’t think that he’s the same entity worshipped by the Satanists; probably this degenerated vampires call another being with a wrong name. This ritual animates a human-sized puppet assembled by the vampire, called golem, giving a servant loyal to the death. It’s strange to notice that the first proofs of these slaves’ creation come from a rabbi of Prague. Cost: 1 Vitae + 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult + Goetia Action: Instant. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The marionette animates, but attacks the enchanter, following Belial’s will. Failure: The spirit refuses to collaborate and the enchanter can’t help this. Success: Belial obeys and animates the puppet. Exceptional Success: The doll can even think independently and take initiatives to his master’s advantage. Using successfully Convocation of Belial requires the enchanter to draw a magic circle with his blood, and to put inside this the puppet. The doll must have a human shape (head, torso, legs, arms, Size 5), and can be composed by any material. During the ritual, Belial fertilizes the golem, literally, with the evoker’s spiritual force, and the puppet will then move like it’s alive. The marionette animated by this power has Strength 3, Dexterity 1, Stamina 2, Brawl 2, Mental Attributes at 1, Socials at 0, Size and Speed like a human. It doesn’t talk or answer to anyone who speaks to him, and has just the minimal awareness to perform the simplest actions. It stands without moving, until the Sangiovanni pronounces in front of him his orders. The puppet suffers only bashing damage from any attack, although fire inflicts aggravated damage. It doesn’t suffer wound penalties. “Mental” Disciplines such as Animalism and Dominate doesn’t affect a doll. The creature is even immune to Nightmare, Majesty and to the fourth level of Auspex, but can’t see into the veil of Obfuscate. Characters can’t use this power on puppets already subjected to another Convocation of Belial. The golem works until dawn; after that he will fall on the ground, unanimated again. ••••• Convocation of Bael Bael, the first spirit, is master of secrets and mystic knowledge. A Goetic wizard can obtain from him an enormous choice of arcane powers: the strength he doesn’t have, the authority he needs, and so on. Like all the precious things, it’s better not to abuse of this power, mostly because the daemon is very irritable, and doesn’t like to be called every night. Cost: 1 Vitae + 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult + Goetia Action: Instant. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: Bael absorbs part of the vampire’s knowledge: the character loses two Discipline dots, at Storyteller’s choice, until the end of the night. Failure: The spirit refuses to collaborate and the enchanter can’t help this. Success: The daemon gives the vampire part of his knowledge. Exceptional Success: The daemon has such a good attitude that the vampire can choose of learning even powers of other bloodlines. Using successfully Convocation of Bael requires the enchanter to draw a magic circle with his blood, and to put inside this a cup full of pure water (distilled water will work). Then the daemon appears in the circle, in front of the cup, blesses it and gives it to the Sangiovanni, to drink. The mystic water won’t be rejected as normal. The Merchant can choose among the common Disciplines (i.e. not powers exclusive of covenants or bloodlines) and gain two dots in one of them or one dot in two of them. This power can’t be used to learn powers which require a Blood Potency higher than the Merchant’s. An individual can’t be subjected to more than a single Convocation of Bael each night, even if the activation roll has failed. The bonus Discipline dots last until dawn.